Why Donald Trump Stopped Acting ‘Presidential’

Five Northeastern states vote Tuesday in what has been nicknamed the “Acela Primary.” Polls in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware close at 8 p.m., but Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are expected to sweep. The only outstanding question is by how much. On the Democratic side, a strong Clinton win would effectively close what little path remains for Bernie Sanders to the nomination—already he has to win nearly a supermajority of remaining delegates. On the GOP side, anti-Trump forces have long predicted this would be a tough day for them, but are hoping Ted Cruz and John Kasich can keep at least some delegates from Trump’s grasp. They are turning their energy toward Indiana next week and the subsequent nine contests through June 7.

Trump’s newly empowered convention manager may not be that powerful anymore. Another shakeup appears to be underway within the Trump machine amid continued delegate selection troubles and leaks. Trump, who made a show of trying to appear “presidential” last week at the behest of new aide Paul Manafort, appeared to shelve it Monday with a long riff mocking the notion at a campaign rally. The head-spinning reversals highlight how Trump has succeeded despite his ad hoc campaign—a slightly more professional operation could have locked up the nomination weeks ago.

The GOP race may never get to a contested convention, but Ted Cruz isn’t taking any chances, his campaign leaking Monday they are vetting former HP CEO and 2016 candidate Carly Fiorina to be Cruz’s running mate among a short-list of contenders. In the coming weeks, similarly politically advantageous leaks are expected—designed to broaden Cruz’s support by attracting backers of his potential selections—but there is little incentive to make an announcement until at least after June 7, and perhaps not until the convention.

The Kasich-Cruz alliance frays. A federal judge upholds North Carolina’s voter-ID law. And why Bernie Sanders is actually winning.

Here are your must-reads:

Must Reads

Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton Likely to Sweep ‘Acela Primary’
But by how much? [TIME]

Trump Back on the Warpath Against ‘Lyin’ Cruz and ‘1 for 41’ Kasich
Whiplash…[TIME]

Trump Rejects New Adviser’s Push to Make Him ‘Presidential’
Frustrated with Manafort, the GOP front-runner shifts some power back to campaign manager Lewandowski [Politico]

Bernie Sanders’s Supporters Consider Where to Turn if His Bid Fails
As the end nears, they look for what’s next [New York Times]

Sound Off

“I don’t tell people how to vote. I’m not in that state right now, but I will be in other states and I will be at the convention, in a broken convention, trying to be president of the United States,” — Ohio Gov. John Kasich sharing the limits of his new alliance with Ted Cruz on the Today Show

“I have never seen a human being eat in such a disgusting fashion.” — Donald Trump on John Kasich’s campaign tour of eateries

Bits and Bites

Donald Trump Calls Kasich, Cruz Plan Desperate [TIME]

Why Bernie Sanders is Actually Winning [CollegeHumor]

Donald Trump Agrees to an Interview With Megyn Kelly, Fox News Says [New York Times]

Millennials Don’t Like Socialism or Capitalism, Poll Says [Boston Globe]

Cruz Campaign Vetting Carly for VP [Weekly Standard]

Federal Judge Upholds North Carolina Voter Rules [New York Times]

Bernie Sanders Admits He’s Unlikely to Flip Superdelegates [NBC]